Tape-printing typewriter



Aug 5 1952 H. l.. THoLsTRUP ET Ax. 2,605,881

TAPE` PRINTING TYPEWRITEIR Filed Jan. 17, 1948 Patented Aug. 5, 1952 TAPE-PRINTING TYPEWRTER' Henry L. Tholstrup, Rochester, N. Y., and .lohn A..

Skinner, Washington, D. C.

Application January 17, 194.8, Serial No. 2,843

1s oiaims. (ci. 19t- 73) 1 rfhis invention relates to typewriting machines. The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for printing on tape.

An object is to provide a `tape printing machine which may be operated at a higherrate of speed than is ordinarily the case.

Anobject is to provide a machine capable of printing case shifted characters at a higher rate v lof speed than is ordinarily possible.

In radio and cable communication, the operators customarily receive the messages audibly in Morse code and translate the code into a printed message by operating a typewriter. In consequence of the time lost in returning the carriage during reception of messages in this manner, it is possible to lose part of a message and, in order to avoid this, typewriting machines have been constructed in which the message is printed on a narrow paper tape which is fed through the machine by a suitable form oftape` feeding mechanism that advances the tape an increment with each key operation instead of feeding a carriage. IThis enables the code operator to type continuously as long as messages are coming in over the cable or from the radioV receiver and later, when message transmission has ceased, the tape may be read at leisure and in many cases pasted on sheets of paper in accordance with well known practice. f

In the past it has been common to use conventional typewriters modified only to the extent of adding the tape feedv mechanism. On the other hand, typewriting machines have been built to operate as automatic page printers under control of a transmission line or radio received code signals to write continuously on a tape as long as the code signals continued to be received. In both the manual and the automatic machines, either the type basket or the platen carriage must be shifted to enable a large number of characters to be obtained with a minimum number of keys and code signals. Since both the type basket and the platenlcarriage have considerable weight, there is a loss of time incidental to shifting one or the other to print the upper case characters `.due to the inertia of the relatively heavy parts which must be moved. For example, in certain well known machines, the type basket is shifted and this type basket, since it includes a minimum of forty-two type bars and various elements, such as links, directly connected therewith for pivotally mounting or operating the type bars, is very heavy and has considerable inertia which tends tolimit the speed of shift operations..

It is proposed according to the present invention, to eliminate these diiculties by shifting the vtape on which the message is written between upfper and lower case positions. Since the tape itself is very light and the few parts required to support it at the printing line are of insignincant weight, it has been found possible to effect ther i shift much more rapidly than when the type the mechanism controlled thereby.

basket or platen carriage is shifted, enablingthe speed of transmission of letters to be increased and at the same time save a considerable amount of wear and tear on the machine.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claimsl and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whichy disclose, by way of example, 4the principle of the invention and thebest mode which has been contemplated of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a typewrting machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the shift solenoid and Fig 1 discloses a power operated typewriting machine which, in respect to the means ofactuating the type bars, is similarto the well known International electric typewriter, formerly known as the Electromatic rIn this machine, there isprovided .a power roller l0 with which cooperates a number of cam units ll o f well known construction which are controlled by the character keys l2. The cam unitsV are pivoted on the cross rods I3 in two arrays on opposite sides of the power roller lll and are connected by links Il! to the sub-levers I5 pivoted on the cross rod i6. v The sub-levers l5 are connectedby links Il to the toggle links I8 which are pivoted at ISci to the type bars I9. Ordinarily the type bars i9 are pivotally mounted at 20 in the usual and not case shiftable.-

Whenever a character key .l2 1s depressed, the

appropriate cam unit l l is operatively connected to the power yroller lil and rocked on the pivot wire i3 in a well knownway, drawing down a link Hl and operating the associated type bar through an arc of approximately "y to effect printing. The mechanism sov far describedis well known in the art and is a commonA feature of the well known International electric typewriter.

In the present case instead of having a carriage and a conventional platen which is advanced in a letter spacing, direction, there is provided a disc platen 22 pivoted on the axisv22a and the platen .is provided with a suitable resilient 'coverupon the paper tape.

ing such as rubber ground to form two circumferential arcuate striking zones 22h, 22e, of which the zone 22h corresponds to the lower case and the zone 22C to the upper case. The Zones 22h, 22C are curved to fit the curved faces of the types.

The machine is provided with a vertically slidable tape carrier 23 constructed very much like the usual ribbon vibrator to support a paper tape in alignment-with the: zone 22h iof "theeplatenf wherebyithe'il'owerfcase type arefnormally printed The means for feeding the tape after each impression is not disclosed since it forms no part of the presentinventionf but may be of the form disclosed in application Serial No. 703,696, filed October-16, C"1946, -by.R. D. Dodge and J. L. Petz, now Patent No:"2,531;875.VJ

This tape feeding mechanism istrendered opera-"- tive by a universal bar 24 which is actuated by the type bars I9 in a wellknown way.

The platen 22 may be :geared to the tape feed rol-ieri' 2 5l' -by'suitable fgearing,:-n0t shown;- so .that

the" platen 22.iis rotated :small increments .withzA eachfprin'tedimpression toxinsure thatthesun facei-'fofth #platen will' wear evenly.

Means vare provided .for shifting .thextape` car.-l

rie`r123 eithe`r=underfmanual control or under con--` trlf of ``a 'suitable shift signal; The` tapeA carrier 23'is'pivoted -at 2$a-to a `lever 21: pivoted at .21a tcfa'iedpart of themainifrarnework. Intermediatelitsf-ends, the'leve-r 213 is connected by a link as more clearlyshown1in1Fig.w2, is pivotally connectedltoionearm'- of a bell crank il)V pivoted at 3l to-'thfef plunger 32 'fof fa solenoid'` SS, hereinafter termedy the shift' solenoid? The bell'crankl) 'is normally held -bya.spring. 33V (Fig.:2) against the left-hand side of the upper end-cfa vertical arm 34z`fof-fa :bell "crank'-34lpivoted- V-at 35 to a fixed lli-i part ofsth'e-machine.VVV The otherarm of the bell crank -3`41`fextends horizontally v:and is provided with a horizontalf-bent-'over lug having :afhole througliwhichloosely passes an adjusting screw SStightl-y vthreaded `into-a YVhole in. the main :frame work-Si interposed between the :lug @of :bell crank 'f 34 and I-the frame work `isf r a :stiff coil spring .3 T Whi'chp'resses the lug onlthe `horizontal arm .of th-*bell fer-ank A34de'wn `wagainst :the -head fof the screw 36K. Thebellcrank'l34ithus acts asian ad` justable 4hstop'- forthe link 29T-to determine the extentof-its righthand restoring movement underetheniniiuence-of the spring 33.12

Thstud 29d extends intoV a -Lshaped slot 38ay formed infone-arm offajbell'crank A38 -pivotedV at 39to1'a Yi'lked par-t of the-:frame: work. The ma.- chine is' provided with thelusualzribbon feed universal bar: `4Ilfpivoted at y4I@ and i actuated in a counterclockwise'-'direction (Fig.- 1 by the s subleversilwhenthey'operate-the type bars I9 inA movable'with the-message-tapeopposite thelow.

er'-` case zone 22b'fandfall characters will be printedin'lower case.

When the shift solenoid SS is energized, the bell crank 30 will be rocked clockwise (Fig. 2) drawing the link 29 to the left (Figs. 1 and 2) thereby shifting the stud 29a into the horizontal portion of the slot 38a. If a character key is depressed and the universal bar 4) is operated, the rocking of the rbell crank 38 clockwise will cause the link 28 to be lifted and raise the tape supporting member-23. to bring-thetape opposite the upper case zone 22C of the platen. Since the rocking of the bell crank 38 is mechanically coordinated with the operation of the sub-levers lyitiis apparent that the tape will arrive in the upper case position at about the time the type bar reachesv the printing point with the result which consists fof a pair of contacts SCfwhichmay be termed the shift v-'contacts which are closed Whenever the shift key SK- is depressed, thisresult'being effected by a rod 43 .which is vertically guided inthe usual key guide comb 44 and by ,astrap which may be incorporated with'the mounting of the' contacts SC in the base of thei'rxna-clfiine". The upper end of the rod 43 underliesithefront or r-rigljit-lfiand end (Fig. 1) oftheY shiftykey-fgwhereby thevcontacts YSC will be closedxiwhenever; the shift2 Vkey is depressed and, eithelfheld downimalual-ly V.or locked down with;

tnensuah shiftlockkemnQt shown. It Will be understood that theg contacts SC and the sole-- no id `SS 'may .bein series acrossa suitable sourceofgcurrentfm that the shift solenoid is energized wheneller the -contacts SG 'areclosed Itisapparentthat the shifting of theA tapecan be'effected qvery rapidly since the tape carrier 23,-. thefilever 2l,;and the link 278 have negligible weigh-tin :comparison Awith the type bask et which usuallyfqincludes-fthe segment casting, the support; Ycastingffczrwtheheads of the type bars and fortyetwoor imore type .barsincluding a toggle` link i8 and its companion link ,of whichthere onegfor every -type bar I9 or; on the other hand,

the-relatively -.-heavy platen Y, or V`platen carriage since itis more common to shiftr the platen car-` The usual car'riage-fguidefrails and the carriage itself makeriage. thanto. shift the platen aline.

up aflarge -share-of the'weight of a typewriting machine since they must bevor very rugged constructionY to maintain alignment.

While there ,i have beenshown andY described and pointed fout; the :fundamental novel features of vtheinvention as applied to a preferred embodiment,=tit willbe understood that various omissions andsubstitutionsandchanges in the form and' details'of thefdevice illustrated and in its operation. maybe made by thoseffskilled in the art without-departing .from the spirit of the invention;A It is the intention, therefore,- to be limited only as indicated bythe scope of the following Claims.'

What isv claimed is:

1; li-machine of the class described comprising mechanismufor printing characters in any one ofyaplurality-of type cases, a universal bar actuated l-by said'printing mechanism, means for supporting -a message tape in a position to receive impressions fromv said printing mechanism in one of said cases of type and movable to position the tape for receiving impressions in anther case of type, anop'er'ating member actuated by said universalbar each time Aan impression is made on thev tape, means connected to the supporting a message tape in a position to receive impressions from said mechanism in one of said cases of type, and means for moving said supporting means to position said tape for receiving impressions from said printing mechanism in another case, including a rockable member having a radial slot and rocked by said printing mechanism each time an impression is made and a linkconnected to the supporting means and movable from an idle position into said slot.l 3. A typev'vriting machine having a multiple case printing mechang-11n,H va vstationary platen mounted at the printing point of said mechanism, means for supporting a message receiving tape lin front of and freeof the platen at the printing point of said mechanism for receiving impressions therefrom in a given case, a case shift key,'and means controlled by said shift key for shifting said tape supporting means relative to said platen at the printing point to position said tape for receiving impressions from said printing mechanism in a dilerent case.

4. A typewriting machine having a multiple case printing mechanism, a non-case shiftedv platen having a xed mounting at the printing point of said mechanism, means for supporting a message receiving tape in front of and free of the platen at the printing point of said mechanism for the reception therefrom of impressions in a given case, a case shift control device, and means rendered effective by said shift control device for shifting said tape supporting means relative to said platen at the printing point to 'a position enabling the tape to receive impressions from ksaid mechanism in a diiferent case.

5. In combination, a mechanism for printing characters in several cases of type, a case selecting device, a platen iixedly mounted at the printing point of said mechanism, means to support a message receiving tape in front of and freeof said platen at the printing point in a position to receive impressions from said mechanism in a given one of said cases, a universal bar operating with said printing mechanism, and means controlled by the case selecting device for coupling the supporting means to the universal bar to cause the tape to be shifted across the face of said platen to a position for receiving impressions in a diierent case. p

6. In combination, mechanism for printing characters in several cases of type, a platen fixedly mounted at the printing point of said mechanism, means for supporting a message tape at the printing point and free of vsaid platen in a position to receive impressions from said mechanism in one of said Vcases of type, and electromagnetically controlled means for moving said supporting means parallel to the face of platen to position said tape for receiving impressions from said printing mechanism in another case.

y by said shift key ing means relative to said platen to carry the c 7. A typewriting machinehaving 'a multiple case printing mechanism; aplaten ,having` a iixed rmountingA at the printing point of saidIriecha-4 nism, means for supporting amessage receiving tape at the printing point of said mechanism and free .of said platen for receiving' impressionsfrom said mechanism in a given case,j'a case shift key, and means including an electromagnet controlled for shifting said tape Supporttape across the face of the platen to position said 'tape for receiving impressions ina different case.

8..A typewriting machine having a multiple case printing mechanism, a platen having a fixed mounting at the printing point of said mechanism', means for supporting'a 4message receiving tape free of rsaid platen at the printing point of said mechanism forthe receptiontherefrom of impressions in a given case, a case shift control device, and means including 'an electromagnet rendered effective'by said shift control device for shifting said tape supporting means relative to said platen Ato carry the tape across the face l of the platen to a position enabling theY tape to receive impressions fromsaid mechanism in a different case. f

9. A typewriting `machine having a multiple case printing mechanism, ya platen fixedly mounted at the vprinting pointfo'f saidmechanism, means for supporting a messagefreceiving tape free of said platen at the printing 'point of said mechanism for 4'receiving impressions therefrom in a given case, and electromagnetic means for'actuating said tape supporting means to shift said tape across the face of the platen to a position to receive impressions in a different case.

10. A typewriting machine having a multiple case printing mechanism, a relatively stationary platen having a xed mounting at the printing point of said mechanism, means for supporting a message receiving tape free of the platen at the printing point of said mechanism for the reception therefrom of impressions in a given case, and means including an electromagnet for actuating said tape supporting means to shift the tape across the face of the platen to enable the tape to receive impressions from said mechanism in a diiferent case.

mounted at the printing point of said mechanism, means for supporting a message receiving tape free of said platen at the printing point of said mechanism for receiving impressions therefrom in a given case, a case shift key,'and means controlled by said shift key and operated by said printing mechanism for actuating said tape supporting means to shift said tape across the face of the platen to a position for receiving impressions in a diiferent case.

12. A typewriting machine having a multiple case printing mechanism, a platen having a stationary mounting at the printing point of said mechanism, means for supporting a message receiving tape in front of and free of the platen at the printing point of said mechanism for the reception therefrom of impressions in a given case, a case shift control device and means ren- 'te besmfted relativet-tn-iplaten ririludinaanilectrg i .s electingf device "forA co p1 fs means: te th ujnversalbairtii; en 1e, e

fplreivneimpresvnsin' 1,4.. In pmbinatinyrrie ,a printing Characters' in'several Cases ityn; a, platen Whi'hi'remains.stationaryjduringthenrihtin f dfferentcasesjof theV characters; rnegtns" iiortingamessag tap." said platenjinja rositidntojrs@ from,5nd:rrlechanism'inoneloi.` ,cas aridi elctrQmagnet'CallS, bitrol .di ,in ateslzby Said?.printinsrnehansmr supporting means t, Shift Sai face of the piatenjpr'r said: printing mechariflessi,A inaiwthr( 15. In combination; a"mehanisrnimprinting 25 characters in several cases f;type,`ap1aten`hav'" inga stationary mounting, a case selecting magnet, means to support ja 'message receiving tapeV in front ofand free) of said platen ina position to receive impressions from' said mechanism in 30 a' given one of said cases, afnniversalibarjoperat ing with said,A printingmechansmj; and means controlledby the casefselectingjmagnet,for con-V pling the supporting meansfto"thefliniversal bar y eleptroma'gnet.'

to enable the tape to be shifted across the face Yof the platen to a, position' for receiving imprs sions in a different'case.

" 16. In combination; mechanism for printing characters in several cases of type," a'I platen having a stationary"mounting,V means for spl porting message tape in front of said lplaten and free `tl'i'ereof in a position to receive impressions romsaid mechanism in one of said cases of type.,` means for moving said supporting means i to shiftsaid tape' across the face of the platenl for receiving impressions from saidv printing mechanism in another case including an electro-# magnet, and means for closing a circuit to said HENRY L, THOLSTRUP. JOHN A,- BEFERENCES. wel? The following references` are of record inthe nie of this patent: 'f UNTTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "776,850; Kitzmiller Deee, "1904 929,030l sholes 'Ju'1y 27,1'9U9' 1,025,943 Brooks 'May 7, 1912y 1,567,599 Kleinschmidt Dec. 29I 1925" 1,811,182( Kleinschmidt June 28,1931' 2,308,563 Maus et ai.' Jan. 19,1943

FomrIGfN RATENTS Number Country Date 296,533 Italy ;2 3051982- 

